In 1980, members of downtown Seattle’s Plymouth Congregational Church were moved to action when they discovered people sleeping on their church doorstep. Responding to Rev. David Colwell’s challenge to “find a solution,” they founded Plymouth Housing, an independent nonprofit dedicated to developing and operating housing for people experiencing homelessness.
Today, Plymouth provides stable homes and supportive services to more than 1,500 adults across 18 buildings in Seattle and King County. One of those buildings is Pacific Apartments, a century‑old landmark at 4th and Marion that has witnessed Seattle’s growth and transformation since 1915.
Originally constructed as the Leamington Hotel and Apartments, the building emerged during a period of explosive early‑20th‑century growth. Seattle’s hotel industry boomed following the Klondike Gold Rush, and by 1910 the city boasted 475 hotels—more than any similarly sized city in the nation. The Leamington’s hybrid model of transient hotel and long‑term apartments was both innovative and practical.
Its red‑brick exterior and richly ornamented terra‑cotta façade exemplify early‑20th‑century craftsmanship. Yet by the early 1980s, the building had deteriorated and closed, becoming a flashpoint in Seattle’s housing crisis. Community advocates rallied to protect it during Operation Homestead, recognizing both its architectural significance and its potential as affordable housing.
Plymouth purchased the building in 1993 and completed a rehabilitation in 1995 that preserved historic character while adapting it for supportive housing. Renamed Pacific Apartments, it became a place of stability and belonging for neighbors exiting homelessness.
Recognizing evolving resident needs, Plymouth undertook a second renovation completed in 2025. Aging single‑room units were replaced with fully private studios and one‑bedroom apartments; accessibility was improved throughout; community spaces were refreshed; and historic features were carefully restored.
This project demonstrates preservation at its best: honoring history while adapting a landmark for renewed service. Pacific Apartments continues to enrich downtown Seattle’s architectural landscape and advance Plymouth’s mission of stability, dignity, and home.
Project Team: ARC Architects, Rafn Co. Construction, Richaven Architecture and Preservation
Header image courtesy of Plymouth Housing, left and middle photo courtesy of Richaven Architecture and Preservation, right photo courtesy of Polk's Seattle Directory, 1917 (Vol. XXXI)
